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Poised for big raise, Posey tops SF arbitration filings

The Hot Stove crew looks at reports of the Giants' timetable for a Buster Posey extension and projects what such a deal might look like

By Chris Haft
/
MLB.com |

SAN FRANCISCO -- Catcher Buster Posey, the reigning National League Most Valuable Player, heads the list of six Giants who filed for salary arbitration on Tuesday.

Under the arbitration process, each player to file is considered signed. But there's no agreement on a salary until a compromise is reached, before or after the player and his club exchange suggested figures for a one-year deal. Or, if there's no compromise, the case goes before an arbitration panel, which rules for one side.

Posey figures to receive an astronomical raise from the $615,000 he earned last season, when he led the NL in hitting, paced the league in All-Star voting and received numerous other awards and accolades.

Because arbitration-eligible players tend to earn exorbitant pay hikes, because the club no longer can set their salary figures, the Giants have tried to control costs by signing younger arbitration-eligible players to multiyear deals. Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner and Pablo Sandoval are examples of this salary strategy. But speculation has abounded that the Giants and Posey will wait another year before attempting to forge a deal extending beyond one season.